Barrell Bourbon New Year’s Eve Bourbon 2023

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B+

Ever since Barrell Craft Spirits added Barrell Bourbon New Year to their line-up, some of my colleagues have made a point of posting a write up of the whiskey on New Year’s Day. Well, it’s still the first week of the new year, so I do not feel as if I am late in getting to this bottle.

Barrell Bourbon New Year 2023 draws on stock aged from 5 to 10 years, but from a dizzying array of sources: along with the staple suppliers in Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee, this bottling draws on distillers in Maryland, New York, Ohio, Texas and Wyoming as well. Good luck in batting a perfect run in guessing who all those sources are; I’m more in the know than most and I won’t be trying (especially in view of the fact is all we have is a list of states, and some states may furnish multiple sources).

As always, Barrell Craft Spirits did this bottling as an uncut, unfiltered expression. This time, the blend and batch came to 113.54 proof.

The Bourbon
A brief sniff and sip told me the bourbon was hovering right on the borderline of needing water, being marginally hot as it was. So, water went in, but just a few drops. The scent is mild and smooth, leaning more on the oak and spice end of things. I’d liken it to a toasted cinnamon bun with a generous helping of ginger and cinnamon, plus a drizzle of caramel atop the frosting. The palate followed very much in that vein, even going so far as to take on a buttery texture. It follows very much in the same vein as the nose, albeit with some raisins coming out as you bite into that bun, and perhaps the ginger being replaced with clove. The amazing thing is how much the finish runs on with that same pastry-like character, because usually a finish narrows down to just a singular aspect. In this instance, the whole thing just rambles on for a brief spell.

The Price
Barrel Bourbon New Year 2023 will set you back $90. That puts it in the same vein as Booker’s, albeit with a markedly different character.